Car-brake



Patented May -9, I899;

CAR BRAKE.

(Application filed Oct. 20, 1898.)

c. GGETZ & w. A. HUSTON.

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES CHARLES GOETZ, OF MOUNT SAVAGE, AND WILLIAM A.

FROSTBURG, MARYLAND.

PATENT OFFICE.

HUSTON, or

CAR-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 624,787, dated May 9,1899.

Application filed October 20, 1898. Serial No. 694,128. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES GOETZ, of Mount Savage, and WILLIAM A. HUSTON, of Frostburg, Allegany county, Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Brakes, of which the following isa complete specification,referencebeinghad tothe accompanying drawings.

The object of our invention is to producea simple and effective device for preventing in-' sudden and abrubt interruption of the counter strain upon the brake-shaft causes the shaft to whirl in obedience to the power applied by the brakeman and to hurl him from the car. The result in most cases is that the brakeman either loses his life or is severely injured. It is to automatically prevent the whirling of the brake-shaft under conditions above described that our invention is designed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I is a bottom plan View of one portion of afreightcar equipped with our device' Fig. II is a perspective end view of the same with the truck omitted and showing the brakemans platform partially broken away to illustrate the usual arrangement of the brake-shaft, ratchet, and pawl.

Referringto the figures on the drawings, 1 indicates a car-body, and -2 the end framepieces thereof. 3 indicates a brake-shaft which is free to move within suitable vertically-alined bearings in the frame-pieces 2 and in the brakemans platform 4. The shaft 3 is, as usual, provided at its upper end with ahand-wheel 5 and above the platform with a ratchet 6, with which engages a pawl 7 upon the platform. Underneath the frame-pieces 2 is secured at 'cated at 10, to a brake-beam 11 and connected, as by a rod 12 and lever 13, to the truckframe 14. I

The above-described mechanism is illustrated as an example of a type of brake mechanism in ordinary use. This particular mechanism is shown only as a means of illustrating the principle of ourinvention, which is applicable to any form of brake mechanism that in cludes a rotatory brake-shaft.

The elements of our invention, as illustrated, comprehend a ratchet 15, secured to the shaft 3, preferably underneath the framepieces 2. The ratchet 15 is similar to the ratchet 6, except that their teeth are oppositely operative. I

In operative proximity to the ratchet 15 we provide a dog 16, pivoted, as indicated at 17, to the bottom of the frame-pieces 2, preferably against a plate 18, secured thereto. The pivotal movement of the dog in one direction is limited by a pin 19, projecting from the plate 18. The dog is held normally out of engagement with the ratchet 15, as by a coiled spring 20, secured at one end, as indicated at 21; to the tail of the dog and at the other end, as indicated at 22, to a suitably-fixed support on the bottom frame of the car-body. A chain 23 issecured at one end, as indicated at 24, to the dog, near its toothed end, and at its other extremity, as indicated at 25, to a member actuated by the brakebeam*for example, the lever 9.

We prefer to employ a yielding section 26 in the chain 23, consisting, for example, of a coiled spring, in order to relieve any sudden strain upon the chain 23 that otherwise might suffice to break it.

The operation of our device is as follows: Assume that a brakeman or other operative in applying the brakes is rotating the shaft 3 by aid of the wheel 5. If While the brake= man is operating the Wheel 5 the chain 8 should part,'the brake-beam ll, relieved from the strain upon it, will rebound suddenly and withforce, causing the end of the lever 9 to which the chain 8 was attached to retreat in a direction opposite from that in which it was drawn under the tension of the chain 8. Thereupon the chain 23 is caused to actuate the dog 16 against the force of its spring 20, and it causes the teeth of the dog to engage with the teeth of the ratchet 15. the parting of the chain 8 and the actuation of the dog through the chain 23 must occur simultaneously or substantially so. Consequently the wheel 5 instead of tending, through the whirling motion which would be imparted to it as ordinarily constructed, remains stationary, its tendency to rotation occasioned by the parting of the chain 8 being promptly resisted by the engagement of the teeth of the dog 16 with the teeth of the ratchet 15.

What we claim is l. The combination with a car, brake-shaft, chain, and beam, of automatic means for interrupting the rotation of the shaft dependent for its operation upon the parting of the chain, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination with a car,brake-shaft, chain, and beam, of a dog in operative proximity to the shaft, and adapted, when in engagement therewith, to interrupt its rotation,

In practice.

means for holding the dog normally out of engagement with the shaft, and mechanism connecting the dog to the beam, whereby, upon parting-of the brake-chain, the dog is forced into engagement with the shaft to interrupt its operation, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination with acar,brake-shaft, chain and beam, of a ratchet secured to the shaft,a spring-controlled toothed dog in operative proximity to the ratchet, and a connection between the dog and the brake-beam, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination witha car, brake-shaft, chain and beam, of a ratchet secured to the shaft, a spring-controlled toothed dog in operative proximity to the ratchet, and a yieldingeonnection between the dog and the brakebeam, substantially as set forth.

In testimony of all which we have hereunto subscribed our names.

CHARLES GOETZ. V WVILLIAM A. I-IUSTON.

Witnesses:

GEORGE E. PIPER, MICHAEL J. KANE. 

